


An Android Sees A Therapist

by nsynclancefan



Series: Marie [1]
Category: JackSepticEye (YouTube RPF), Markiplier (YouTube RPF), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Changed the characters names and genders, F/M, I wrote this for a class at university, Maybe a broader audience can give their opinion on my writing and this world I have painted, Septiplier MAY OR MAY NOT happen in future parts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 09:47:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7569451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nsynclancefan/pseuds/nsynclancefan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I love the taste of cigarettes because they are a sign of how much closer I am to death. We are born to die, so what matters is how much we want to live. I took up this nasty habit when I was contracted by a government agency to aid in therapy, but what I quickly learned is that they were using me for their dirty work and I couldn’t escape it. Cigarettes are a nice reminder that sooner or later I am going to die a horrible death, and it will only partly cover the cost of what I’ve done. However, I didn’t know there was a simpler solution for redemption – little late once you jumped the bridge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ridiculous

            Mark stumbles through his front door, dropping his medical and overnight bags off in the entryway before climbing the staircase and entering his bedroom, falling into bed. The room is clean because it barley has anything in it – a bed, a nightstand, and dresser. Walls are cream and the furniture brown, complete with dark green carpet. Mark shuts his eyes, trying to catch his breath after the walk up the stairs, but opens them again when he hears a vibrating, rumbling sound.

            Purring. Something is purring. And kneading on his back.

            He quickly rolls over, sending a fluffy object flying off the bed. He sits up and begins a staring contest with its bright blue eyes.

            “Why is there a cat in my room?”

            “Because we are hiding out at your place.”

            Mark screams when he notices the man standing behind his door. He scrambles off his bed and runs over to the window in panic, ready to climb out onto the roof. _Wait a second, I know that face!_ He freezes halfway out the window.

            “Sean?”

            “Hi Dr. Fischbach.”

            He pulls his body back inside and shuts the window. _That stupid kid nearly gave me a heart attack,_ “What the hell are you doing in my house? How did you find it? Why aren’t you dead? And why didn’t you tell me Marie was so fluffy!” He picks up the cat who had wandered over and rubbed against his legs. Marie rubs her face against Mark, who instinctively rubs back and pets her, all while giving Sean the look he reserves for when his nagging mother visits.

            “I found your house by following you home from work. I am not dead because I escaped the facility in the middle of the night because they decided to hold me there, fake my euthanasia, and treat me like a lab rat. And you never asked about Marie’s appearance.”

            Mark processed that information for a moment. Why didn’t I think of that possibility? Right, because I thought AndrAI was more ethical than that. “How long have you been gone?”

            “A week.”

            “Did you steal Marie from your old family?”

            “They left her at an animal shelter.”

            “I should stop assuming good things about people.”

            “Yeah, you should. You hand out false hope when you should be giving the truth.”

            “I thought I was telling you the truth! All I had to go on was that they’re Mormons and they treated you way better than the other patients I’ve had to treat.” Marie jumps out of Mark’s arms and onto the bed. “Have you been sleeping on my bed?”

            “Guest room.”

            “That is my brother’s room. He is currently overseas dealing with all that garbage.”

            “Don’t worry, I didn’t touch any of his things. I might have rummaged through the visible stuff when I was making a spot for Marie, but that’s it.”

            Mark can feel a headache coming on. “Look, Sean, I don’t think you should stay here.” He lays back down on his bed. “The agency will probably come by here looking for you, and I am a terrible liar.”

            “Oh, they already came by. They searched the house for signs of someone squatting. I took my stuff and Marie and hid out in the basement of the house next door.”

            Mark glares at Sean, his eyebrows almost over his eyes and their pupils popping out from underneath. _Why am I not surprised my ex-employer would get a search warrant? They probably didn_ _’_ _t even get one and just broke in some how. I should have never taken them up on that damn offer last year!_ “You broke into my neighbor’s house?”

            “They have a key hidden by the back door, and are on vacation. I saw them leave with a bunch of stuff the day before and not come back, so I assumed it was safe.”

            “Sean, you can’t break into people’s houses! Don’t you have morals?” _Unlike AndrAI_ _…_

            “Yes, I understand the law, but I really don’t give a damn after all that I have been through.” Sean lays down next to Mark, calling Marie onto his chest. She obliges, immediately kneading into his chest and purring.

            Mark leans over to his nightstand and digs through the draw for a cigarette. Visibly, he appears calm – on the inside, he is ready to burst like a bad appendix. _This is so unprofessional of me. I need to call the cops or something because of my stalker patient, but_ _…_ _damn it why do I care about this kid?_ It takes him a while to find a pack, but it is empty. He tosses it across the room, sending Marie off of Sean’s chest and after the foreign toy. Marie sniffs it, mouth opening to gather more information (or to get a taste). Discovering that the box is laced with some sort of poison, Marie returns to the bed and Sean’s chest, disgust written across her face.

            Mark scraps the bottom of the drawer with his finger nails, desperate for anything he can set on fire at this point. _Anxiety attack is setting in. Shit, shit, shit!_ He finds a lone cigarette hidden in the back, beneath a pamphlet for a church. With a sigh of relief, he pulls it out and lights it with a match, taking a long puff. _Oh yeah_ _…_

            Sean watches him with a raised eyebrow. “Those are illegal…” he says when he finally sees the item he had been searching for, “And deadly.”

            “No shit, Sherlock.” Mark lays back down on the bed. “You aren’t the only one who doesn’t give a damn.” _This really hits the spot, like a bitter up of coffee. The hospital will kill me if they find out I am still using after they cleaned me up._

            Sean cocks his head to the side. “How can you preach to me about law breaking when you have illegal substances in your room?”

            Mark ignores him, taking another long inhale and allowing the smoke to stay in his lungs until he has a coughing fit. _Hurts so much, but feels so good._

            “Is that why you were in the hospital?”

            “Damn it, Sean, why are you really here?” Mark turns to look at him, still somewhat coughing. “Why haven’t you tried to head to Canada or Mexico or something?”

            “I don’t have the money nor the rights for a passport.”

            “Ever read a history book?” _He worked at a book store for Pete_ _’_ _s sake._

            “I’ve cataloged many at my old job, and have access to the internet. With the high security boarders on both sides of the country, no one is sneaking past.”

            He takes another puff. “There are other ways. People have always found other ways.”

            Sean sits up onto his arms, Marie meowing at the sudden movement. “What ways?”

            “Actual underground railroads.” _I remember one of my previous clients rambling about utilizing it in our last session together, before he was sent back for adjustments. Doubt he went through with it._

            “Tunnels into Mexico?”

            “And into Canada. Mexicans want into the US. US wants into Canada. Why do you think the security system was set up in the first place?” Mark finishes most of his cigarette, putting it in the ash tray on the nightstand before digging through the draw again. _Anxiety is still here. I need something for relaxation._

            “How many do you smoke in one sitting?” Sean asks with concern. “Are you suicidal? Maybe you need a therapist.”

            _This kid knows too much for his own good._ “Maybe you need to shut up before I call the cops. This can be considered stalking your doctor.” He pulls out a clear plastic baggie. “Besides, I smoke when I’m stressed, but this takes the cake. I need something stronger.” Pulling out one of the handmade joints, he lights up and lays back down on the bed. “Do you want to split it?”

            “Uh, no thanks.” Sean isn’t even sure it would have any effect on him.

            “Your loss.” Mark takes his time with the joint, holding his breath and letting out the smoke through his nose. Slowly, his anxiety and headache goes away. “I wonder how your system would react to these substances. Sure would be hilarious, don’t ya think?” Mark yawns, eyes closing. “Why don’t you go research those tunnels and let me get some sleep.” _And let me process this situation._ With that, he stops talking and puts the joint into his mouth, breathing through it every so often as he falls into a long awaited deep sleep.

            Sean watches him breath grey fog out of his nose, as if he is a dragon sending out smoke signals. It doesn’t take his long to fall to sleep; his mouth opens at that point and the joint rolls down his chin and onto the bed. Thinking about his fear of fire, he picks it up and puts it out in the ash tray. He picks up Marie and leaves the room, going downstairs to the computer sitting on the scratched coffee table in front the only couch in the room – the only other item in the room is the entertainment center.

            “Well Marie? Should we try to find one of these underground railroads? Escape to Canada to start a new life?” The cat chirps at a moth, leaping from her owner’s arms to chase it around the living room. “That’s what I thought.”


	2. Criminal

            Mark takes a sip from his Blue Moon. “So, you can give a man a new life?”

            “For a price, of course. I thought I was meeting with Sean?”

            The bar they are sitting at is lit with bile yellow from behind and hippie orange in front. Each stool in the house has lost its swivel ages ago, which is probably why the place gets so many customers – a taste of the simple times when people could get high and drunk and get STD’s from whomever they laid their eyes on. The place resides in the barren center of Tacoma, where there are no cops except for when a murder happens (then they come crashing down on the area like vultures on corpses.) Why they don’t try to clean up the area is beyond Mark, probably a mix of state cut backs on social services or general ‘don’t give a damn’-ness by the city. _It_ _’_ _s almost like one of those comic book cities come to life,_ he thinks to himself.

            Mark glances at the female-with-no-name who Sean begged him to meet up with after they made contact through the DarkNet. “Scared of the dark,” Mark mumbles around the bottle in responce, watching the bartender serve some teenagers without checking ID. “And he hates walking.” He doesn’t tell her the real reason because he promised Sean. _He is also scared someone might realize what he really is and treat him like garbage_ _–_ _Barrenopolis really doesn_ _’_ _t like his sort of people and have ways of figuring those things out._

            The female looks out the bar windows, the only clear glass in the bar. “Its barely dusk. Has he heard of a taxi?”

            “I’m not a cop, just someone trying to help a friend out.” Mark takes another sip, finishing off his second drink of the evening. “Also, he doesn’t trust you.”

            “In this line of business, you should trust no one.”

            Mark chuckles. “You sound like you’re in one of those old mafia movies.”

            The female shakes her head. “Its true. Now, what do you want to know?”

            “How will you get us into Canada?” He waves down the bartender for another.

            “I thought we were just transporting a boy and his cat?”

            Mark eyes her suspiciously, goose bumps going down his spine. _My senses tell me this chick is bad news. Her eyes have a weird color to them, and she smells like rotten apples._ “You upset you might be getting more money?”

            “I just need to know all the facts. Three’s company, ya know.”

            “Whatever, let's just hurry this along so I can go home and have a smoke.”

            “Maybe we can head back to my place and share one?” The female leers at Mark; through the buzz and orange-yellow glow, it appears more appealing than reality. “You look like you could do with some relaxing”

            _I don_ _’_ _t care if she is hot, this girl is a douche._ “Worst. Pick up line. Ever.”

            The female scoots her stool closer to Mark, slipping her arm around his waist and whispering into his ear, “We’re both adults. What’s wrong with a little bit of fun?”

            “Will you just answer my damn question?” Mark shoves the female away from him, scooting his stool away the best he can on the sticky floors. “Then we can talk about drugs and sex.” He goes after his new drink, nodding at the bartender in thanks.

            “Bitch, bitch, bitch. You remind me of my ex.” The female grabs a handful of pretzels and starts to eat and talk. “First thing you need to know is there are 3 stages to this,” Chew. “Me, who gives you the location along the boarder where you will meet the second person,” Chew. “Who will get you across the boarder, where the third person,” Chew. “Will help get you guys new identification.”

            _So attractive the way those lips stick together on the salt._ “Sounds expensive.”

            “Pay up front for each stage.”

            Mark smirks. “I’m not dumb. I will give you each a third at the beginning, and only after each stage is done do you and your people get the rest.”

            “What if you don’t pay the rest?”

            “Call the cops or shoot us. Either way, I’d feel better knowing I died and you only had some of your precious loot.”

            The female glares, reaching for her drink. “This is why I hate smart people,” She takes a long chug, “And men.”

            “I can give you proof that I have the money, but you won’t see all of it until the deal is over.” Mark finishes his third beer, waving down for a fourth. “Take it, or I’m walking out of here.” He turns his body and leans against the counter top, trying to mimic the female’s leer from earlier and instead coming off way sexier than he intended. _I_ _’_ _m buzzed_ _…_ _but that rotten apple smell is still there, and those goose bumps are only getting worse. If I wasn_ _’_ _t drinking, I would know what was up about this chick._

            The female watches his face, eyes dropping to stare at his muscular chest for a second before looking back up with a nasty grin. “I’ll take it, on one condition.”

            “Sex?”

            “How’d you know?”

            “I’m a psychologist – I read people for a living.” _When drunk I only pick up on the obvious ones._ Mark eats a pretzel. “You also weren’t subtle about checking out my abs and leering at me earlier.”

            “Guilty as charged.” She continues to grin. “So, do we have a deal?”

            Mark stares at the empty beer bottles, knowing that if he has another he will become putty in the stranger’s arms. _I haven_ _’_ _t had fun for a while, and as long as this chick has a spare blank shooter pill I will be golden._ Shrugging to himself, he nods his head. “Deal.” _I am going to regret this at some point, aren_ _’_ _t I?_

            “Damn, babe, didn’t know you were this easy.”

            Mark slaps her hard across the face. “I’m not easy, I’m horny. Now, tell me about the rest of the details and we can head back to your place for some romp and pay.”

            The female rubs her cheek, chuckling and glaring. She leans towards Mark’s ear. “This is gonna be fun.” She runs her tongue under the lobe.

            Mark shivers, the sober part of him begging him to ditch the hooch before he sticks anything inside of her. _I definitely need a few more beers to get this over with._

 

* * *

 

            Sean tries to stay up all night waiting for Mark. He falls asleep around 2 AM on the living room couch. When he wakes up, there is sunlight in his eyes and Mark is playing with Marie on the floor beneath the television.

            “When did you get back?” Sean mumbles, stretching out and sitting up, squinting. _I was worried sick. I read that Barrenopolis has people go missing all the time._

            “I got back, that is all that matters.” Sean heard a hint of sadness and frustration in his voice, mostly covered up by monotone. “Now, I’ve packed the necessities for all of us and loaded up my car. It is time the three of us go on an adventure!” Mark stands, picking up Marie and walking towards the front door. “Get yourself together and meet me in the car. Quickly now!” He says happily.

            Sean watches from the couch, confused at why Mark is going with him and what those red marks on his neck are. _I hope he didn_ _’_ _t do anything stupid with Miss Woman. He is my only hope at this point._ He decides to follow after him and hope for the best. Marie has taken quite the liking to him, and cats can never go wrong.


	3. Heroes

            They are an hour into their trip before Sean asks Mark about last night again.

            “I said it is none of your business, Sean. I am helping you get out of the country so be happy. Do you see Marie bugging me about being gone all night?”

            “You were gone all night?!” _Was he having_ _…_ _sex?_

            “Drop it, Sean, or I will drop you off on the side of the road.”

            “You wouldn’t do that,” Sean grumbles, looking out the window. _He has gone this far with me, why would he bail now? Something happened last night that he doesn_ _’_ _t want to talk about, but he made me talk about things I didn_ _’_ _t want to._

            “I didn’t realize the more human you become, the brattier you turn out.”

            Sean looks at his funny. “More human?” _He thinks I_ _’_ _m human? Then why did he_ _–_

            “Yeah. You are developing a personality now that you have broken free from your original design. As you interact with new people and explore new places, you will discover new things about yourself and form new ideas and opinions about the world. You are a child, Sean, that is why I am going with you.”

            “Because children need adult supervision?”

            “And I want to study your psychological development.” Mark grins, the first time since Sean saw him that morning. “You are technically a new species, or sub-species – I’m not a biologist. Classification doesn’t matter, what does is that you should be given the chance to grow and develop into your best self, while of course facing adversary and pains like everything else alive on this planet.” The grin falls.

            Sean stares at Mark in awe. Yesterday, he was poisoning himself with real tobacco and getting stoned to avoid the situation Sean had put him in. _That is the only reason I can think of for his partaking in those risky behaviors._ It took every ounce of Sean’s persuasion tactics to get Mark to meet with Miss Woman. Now, he is enthusiastic and full of life after doing who knows what all night, and has decided to leave his old life behind so that he can ‘raise’ Sean. Can I really trust him to save me? Is he truly fascinated by my situation, or is there a hidden motive that I cannot sense?

            He decides to stay positive. “Thank you, Mark. You’re saving my life.”

            Mark gives a small smile, keeping his eyes on the road. Sean tries to read his face, but he gets nothing. _He isn_ _’_ _t usually this hidden. His emotions are worn on his skin, as my previous owner would say._

            “My dad told me something when I started in my line of work,” Mark says after a few minutes of silence. “‘If you create life, it is your responsibility. You must care for the physical, mental, and spiritual essences of life for this creature brought forth unto our plane of existence. How that is done, however, is left in the hands of the creator. Some creators are bad parents.’” Mark sighs, glancing at Sean with deep regret in his eyes. “I made that my oath of office, and I am upholding it with you.”

            _He must have been his inspiration for his choice of profession. The glow in his eyes when he said dad was unique._ “Your dad was a very wise man.” Sean pats his shoulder, knowing it is a sign of comfort and agreement. “Did you uphold it with all the others?”

            Mark’s face goes blank. "What do you mean others?"

            “Your patients before me.”

            Mark grips the steering wheel with both hands. “We have a few hours until we reach the border, so if I were you I’d get some sleep.”

            Sean pulls his hand away, confused. “I’m not tired.”

            “Well, I am and talking isn’t helping.” Mark smiles again, forced. “I’m gonna blast the radio and focus on getting us there in one piece.”

            He does just that, bouncing his head and tapping his hands on the steering wheel to the electronic beat. Marie’s hackles come out with the sudden burst of noise and she scrambles under Sean’s seat, shivering with fear. Sean tries to pull her out but she doesn’t budge, claws locked into the carpet. He adjusts the volume to a more suitable loud, earning a soft glare from Mark, and is able to pry Marie out and onto his lap. Petting her to sleep, he adjusts his car seat into a lounging position.

            _Mark, what has happened to you since we last met?_ He closes his eyes, listening to Mark sing along to the radio, and waits.

 

* * *

  

The trio reaches a small town along the Washington and Canadian boarder a few hours later. They check into a motel, sneaking Marie inside using one of Mark’s medical bags. Once settled, Mark pulls out his computer to make contact with the female from the bar while Sean sets up Marie’s food dish, water, and litter box. Marie hides under one of the beds, quite content there instead of out in the strange open.

            “Awesome, thank you very much. We’ll see you tomorrow.” Mark shuts his computer and lays down on the bed, yawning. “Miss Woman is all paid, and we will be meeting with the second person tomorrow to head across the boarder.”

            “One-third of the way there, right?”

            “Yep. You are almost to freedom, Sean.”

            He smiles, laying down on his bed and grabbing the television remote. He surfs through the channels while Mark takes a well-deserved nap.

 

* * *

  

An hour later, Sean hears Mark mumble, “I’m sorry Sean… You are Frankenstein’s monster… No choice…” Sean looks over at his sleeping figure. He is facing towards him and looks to be in pain.

            _I didn_ _’_ _t know people talked in their sleep. Why is he dreaming about our last therapy session?_ Sean shivers, pushing that memory back into storage and refocuses on the TV. Mark continues to mumble and Sean can’t help but let that memory come back to the surface.

 _“_ _I know there is nothing wrong with me._ _”_

_“_ _How so?_ _”_

_“_ _I know what I am experiencing are basic human emotions and physical responses due to the concern I have for Marie._ _”_

_“…_ _Yes, it is._ _”_

_“_ _I also know if I was anyone else, you would be telling me this is normal and give me help in managing my world better._ _”_

_“_ _I probably would._ _”_

_“_ _I_ _…_ _I know_ _…_ _that I can't be_ _…”_

_“_ _Can't be what?_ _”_

_“_ _Normal._ _”_

            Mark mumbles in his sleep, “I’m so sorry Sean.”

            He knows he is, was, when that happened, but they both knew there was no other option. That is why Sean left peacefully. If he wanted to survive, he had to do it on his own. But he was afraid, still is, and that is why he dragged his therapist back into his mess. _I thought I knew what I was suppose to do once I broke out of AndrAI. It was so scary trying to find Marie and hide away from the police. When I saw Mark walking home one day, I felt an instant surge of happiness. Maybe I could call it hope? Can I even feel hope?_ He needs Mark, and from what he has seen of his life after they departed ways, he needs him too. _He said he is upholding his oath_ _–_ _is this his way of righting the wrong he did with me?_

           

* * *

 

            The next morning, Mark wakes up early to go for a walk. Sean is still fast asleep with Marie grooming herself at his feet when he leaves. He takes the alone time to think over the drastic decisions he has made the past few days.

 _I still don_ _’_ _t know if leaving with Sean was the best idea. This is all a selfish desire for redemption, for trying to fix what I did to him. Does he know what I did for a living? Does he know I don_ _’_ _t work for AndrAI anymore because of him? Probably not. Why would AndrAI tell him that? I still can_ _’_ _t believe they lied to me. Bet there are other patients of mine that they did experiments on without my knowledge. Sean is for sure the first to escape, but is he the most sentient of androids they_ _’_ _ve created?_ Mark begins to wheeze. Eyeing a coffee shop, he walks over to order breakfast for himself and Sean. _If it wasn_ _’_ _t for AndrAI I wouldn_ _’_ _t be in such physical despair; then again, I was prone to self destruction way before I began working there. That one time when I was in college?_ Mark shivers. _I do not need to think about that right now. I need to head back to the motel, hopefully I will arrive before Sean wakes up._

He returns out of breath and carrying coffee and muffins. Sean is still asleep; Marie uses the litter box. _Cats have no sense of decency_ _…_ Mark leaves breakfast by the TV, coughs several times, and goes into the bathroom. Starting the shower, he strips and examines his body in the mirror. _I should eat more_ _…_ _and get more sun. I miss my six-ab body._ He climbs into the shower, standing underneath the hot spray, allowing the steam to build and alleviated his lungs. He coughs up several clumps of dark green mucus and alleviates his bladder while washing his hair. Conditioner… body wash… coughing fit, this time with blood. “God damn it.” He sighs, washing out his mouth and turning off the water. “I asked for this.”

 

* * *

 

Sean wakes up to the sound of the news. He doesn’t look, just rolls out of bed and uses the bathroom. He comes back in and grabs the food sitting next to the television, watching as images of burning cars and mass groups of people stream live from it.

“What a shitty world we live in,” he mumbles around the lid of his drink. _Ever sense I broke out of AndrAI, I have been sleeping terribly and waking up in a terrible mood. Is this what it is like to be a human, or did they do something to me that I am unaware of?_

“It gets worse,” Mark says from his bed. “Guess who is being hunted?” He changes the channel. Sean’s face floats in the upper-left corner as the newscaster rambles on about ‘fugitive’, ‘dangerous’, ‘rogue robot’. He almost drops his coffee. “They could’ve at least gotten your classification right,” Mark says. “They’ve been calling you robot for the past 20 minutes. You are an android, duh!”

Sean continues to stare in horror, panic consuming his body. _They_ _’_ _re still after me? I thought they gave up!_ “You are way too calm for this!” He shrieks, setting down his coffee and running to his bags. “We have to get going. Now!” _We needed to be in Canada hours ago._

Mark looks up from his computer. “Calm down. They don’t even think you are trying to leave the country, just the state or local area. We are hours away from Tacoma. They won’t be looking for you up here in Danville.”

“But it’s on the news! Here!”

“At 6:30 in the morning on national. No one gives a shit, let alone are up yet. Will you relax?” Mark shuts his laptop. “I made contact with the dude taking us across. We’re meeting up with him in an hour.”

Sean runs into the bathroom with an armful of clothes. _I will not let them take me back!_ Marie jumps when the door slams shut. Mark chuckles and lays down, switching the channel back to the other news station discussing the most recent bombing in Washington D.C. “The world is more preoccupied right now, anyways.”


	4. Mama

            An hour later, they are waiting outside a gas station. Mark is leaning against the hood of his car, playing around on his phone while holding Marie’s leash as she inspects the dirty surroundings. The area is abandoned, the gas pumps rusted and the store covered in ivy with its windows broken. Shelving lays on the floor or is tipped against walls, making the scene perfect for a zombie apocalypse movie. In reality, the lot is one of the many gas stations that were closed down due to new government regulations on limiting the market for gasoline and increasing the demand for ‘clean energy’. Mark is one of many who had to participate in the trade-in program due to his hybrid being one of the worst polluters (it was his first ever car, gifted to him at 16 by his grandmother, who preferred those kind of vehicles from her youth. It ran great and was reliable, so he never upgraded to electric or smart.) Now his electric sits in an abandoned gas station. _How ironic_ _…_ _that is the right word, right?_

            “Ya know something Sean?” Mark yells. He doesn’t respond – Mark didn’t expect him to; he is trying to feign sleep under a blanket in the back seat. “In about a week, your case will hit the capitol and those protests will have even more fuel to their fire. If you want, after we get settled down in Canada, you can share your story online. I know you have tech skills, so you can easily keep yourself hidden. Even if the people at AndrAI find out where you are, they would have to jump through international shit to get to you.”

            Sean grimaces, “Even if that were all true, I’m not going to get more people killed because I am this magical anomaly.”

            Mark walks around the car and opens his door. “Seriously? You’re just going to let thousands of your brothers and sisters be screwed over by the government?”

            “I don’t see how that involves me.”

            “Remember those protests on TV?”

 _You mean those groups of people burning a city alive thanks to the release of my model six months ago?_ “I was a bit more preoccupied with seeing my face.”

            Mark groans. “To sum everything up, there has been a lot of controversy around AndrAI’s release of their newest models, aka you.”

            “The first realistic androids that look and act human. I received hatred from people back when I lived with the Smith’s.”

 _Poor kid, I remember the stories._ “Many think the company is breaking certain ethical and biological boundaries. They think that sooner or later, their creations will become…”

            “Like me,” he mumbles from under the blanket.

            “Exactly. A third of the protesters don’t want more realistic androids, a third of them want to let your people go, and another half want AndrAI to burn for their sins against nature. The idea of a sentient free-intelligent android will shatter the world as we know it, at least to a portion of the public.”

            Sean raises his voice in annoyance. “Aren’t there others like me that can shatter the world?” _Or you could do that while I hide away with Marie._

            “I have a theory,” _That I just came up with,_ “That the only way AndrAI has been able to come this far with their technology is with androids breaking free of their protocols, but I could be wrong.” _With what they did to you, I wouldn_ _’_ _t put it past them._ “There are really smart people out there and a lot of research into how humans work, so maybe your creators have become gods?”

            Sean looks out from under the blanket, “But I’m the first android like that to escape.” He stares up at Mark. “I am running away so I can live. I’m no saint. I just want to be me and raise Marie in peace.”

            Mark sighs, “You’re definitely the first to be doing this all for a cat.”

            “I’m not doing it just for Marie!” Sean climbs out of the car, looking around before going over to said cat. _She has done things to me, to my personality and emotions. I get angry, sad, happy, and everything in between, and it all started when I found her as a kitten._ “She’s the one that has made me who I am. If I am going to try and be free, I need her with me.” _I can_ _’_ _t even think what life will be like without her._ Sean holds Marie, petting her head and burying his face in her fur.

            Mark watches, still baffled by their entire relationship. _A cat made an android human. If AndrAI finds this out, Marie is just as screwed as Sean._ “I never told them,” He says, sitting down on the trunk of the car.

            Sean walks over to him. “Never told them what?”

            “About Marie.”

            “I thought you had to tell them everything?”

            “They just needed my diagnosis. They don’t care about the cause… at least, for the basic cases they don’t. I’m sure they would have loved to know what made you human.”

            “What kept you from telling them?”

            Mark sighs. He swings his legs and bounces his feet off the silver frame. “I guess I was too preoccupied with the fact I had to tell them to kill you.”

 _WHAT?_ Sean stares at him in shock. “You told them to kill me?” He shrieked, scaring Marie almost out of his arms.

            Mark shrugged. “I had to. I understand human brains, and android brains are made to be like humans, except with restrictions. If humans can rewire their brains, so can androids. There is no fixing that, at least not in the ways they wanted. I knew they were going to take out your brain, maybe replace it so they didn’t waste a perfectly good body, but I had no idea they would just turn you into a lab rat.”

            Sean takes a step away from him, feeling ready to vomit. _He wanted me dead? Does he still want me dead? Is this an elaborate plan to get me to trust him, and then he will turn on me?_ “I can’t… I can’t believe I came back to you.”

            Mark continues to swing his legs against the car. _Sean can be thick headed sometimes. I_ _’_ _m surprised he didn_ _’_ _t think I was behind the experimentation._

            “I thought what happened… was because of AndrAI. I didn’t…”

            “You didn’t think?” Mark chuckles. “You think too much. At least I didn’t tell them to experiment on you like they did. If they had listened to me, which they never seem to do because I’m nice and they are naughty, I would be back home while your body was returned to the Smith family with a new brain.”

            Sean stares at his in shock. _Do I run away from him?_

            Mark stares back. _He better not run off on me._

            A taxi pulls up along the main road and drops off a tall man with black hair. He walks over to the trio with a smile. “Mark? Sean?”

            Mark breaks eye contact with Sean to nod. Sean, on the other hand, stays frozen in place. Marie impatiently wiggles in his arms to be let down, but he squeezes her tightly to his chest for comfort; she lets out a squeak.

            “Let us get you to Canada,” the tall man says, eyeing the cat suspiciously. “You have the first payment?” Mark hands him an envelope. The man smiles, taking it as he walks past him to the driver’s side door. “Lets roll!” He opens it and climbs in. “Where are the keys?”

 

* * *

 

            The ride is silent for the first 15 minutes. The man has the radio on, singing along to country music as he takes them through the woods. Mark is sitting in the backseat, staring out his window trying not to get car sick with all the motion flashing by. _I should have asked him to let me drive and he could just give directions. Why the hell did I even trust him to drive my car in the first place?_

            Sean holds Marie in his lap, petting her and watching her sleep. “I didn’t know you were the one who prescribed treatment. I thought you just diagnosed me,” he says.

            “I’m a therapist. We diagnosis and treat, just like any other doctor.”

            “So, you just wrote an email telling them I am human and to kill me now?”

            Mark shakes his head. “Yes, Sean, and I’m only escaping the country with you so that AndrAI can follow us and stop us right at the boarder.”

            “What?” The man slams on the breaks. Marie flies off of Sean’s lap and Mark hits his head against the window. “We’re being followed?” He screams, turning around to look at the two of them.

            Mark groans, putting a hand against his head and feeling blood in his hair. “I was being sarcastic!” He screams. “Drive dumbass!”

            The man eyes him suspiciously. Slowly a smile grows on his face and he begins laughing. “Oh my gosh, you totally got me. I got so scared for a second.” He continues to laugh as he steps on the gas. The car jerks backward and Mark nearly hits his head again.

            Sean has to rip Marie away from the floor, soothing her with incoherent baby talk. _I still don’t know if that website gave me the right information on how to talk with animals._ Mark rolls down his window and pukes.

            “Sorry I freaked,” Sean mumbles. “I should have realized that. I came to you for a reason, and for a second I forgot that.”

            Mark rolls his window back up. “Why did you choose me?” He asks, holding tissues against his head that he found in the pouch in front of him.

            “Only person I could think of, really.” Sean looks out the window, watching the trees rush past in a hurricane of green. “I also felt this… vibe, I guess? When we were having our meetings, I was willing to share everything with you. I knew from the first time I met you that I could trust you. Maybe I picked up on your personal struggles, or I was in desperate need for a friend, or you just have something about you.” Mark smiles, patting his shoulder. Sean looks at him, a few tears in his eyes. “Was I wrong?”

            Mark shakes his head, putting his arm around Sean and pulling him close. He rests his head on his shoulder. “You made the right choice. I have shit in my life, but maybe you can be my redeeming act before I die.”

            Sean sniffles. “Don’t say things like that.”

            Mark rubs his arm, looking down at Marie who is now using his legs as a stool to look out the window. _I won’t tell him about it, not yet anyways. He has enough to be concerned about._ The forest becomes denser as now holographic trees cover up the path to the tunnel; the car drives straight through without a warning from the driver that he wasn’t about to kill them. After they recover from their mini-heart attacks, Sean sighs and closes his eyes. Mark puts some more tissues against his head, which is starting to clot, and looks through his phone. He checks his mail, seeing several new ones from AndrAI. He ignores them, going into his sent folder and looking back to last month.

 

_TO: AndrAI Cooperation_

_SUBJECT: Psychological Evaluation #245-34.1_

_Based on my conversation with AI Model 245 Version 34.1, also known as Sean, I can conclude that any “symptoms” he has been experiencing are due to his development of independent free-thinking. No drugs or alterations to his operating system will change this. He is human now, and you cannot cure human (though many in the past have tried). You cannot control humans either, clearly evident in any history book you pick up. I suggest a course of therapy to help him learn to control his emotions and assign him to a different course of work where he can be more comfortable._

_However, I know that is fruitless. You do not listen to me, nor respect my opinion on the sentience of your products. Therefore, you can go ahead and kill him. Yes, it is killing. Taking out his “brain” and replacing it with a new one is killing him. If he can change, so can others. Accept that now and we won’t have a Terminator movie on our hands (look it up on the internet, it starred a governor of California)._

_Consider this email my resignation. I don’t care what you can do to me, I will not aid in your Frankenstein operation anymore._

_Sincerely,_

_Dr. Mark Fischbach_

_Biomechanical Clinical Psychiatrist_

 

            He turns off his phone and puts it in his pocket, looking out the window as they enter into a dirt tunnel. The ride is rough, but Mark’s main concern is that there are no support beams nor any solids covering the walls. The farther they get in, the more his heart races as he waits for the dirt to collapse on them, sealing them into the Earth until the millennium where archeologists will dig them up and wonder why there is a cat skeleton with two humans and an android. For the next several miles of this, Mark attempts to nap, but fails miserably as the man driving continues to sing along badly to his country music. _Terrible customer service._


	5. Sing

            That evening, after the man is paid and the trio is left in their motel room until their final meeting tomorrow, Mark goes for a late night walk, taking with him a pack of cigarettes.

            “Try and not get arrested, please,” Sean mumbles, looking over the local newspaper to watch him leave.

            “I have been keeping these hidden from the public eye for years now, I think I can do it again in a new country.”

            “I don’t know how strict Canadians are when it comes to illegal drugs.”

            “Guess we’ll find out?” Mark chuckles and opens the motel door. “I promise to be back in an hour max, okay?” He looks behind at him at Sean, a small smile hidden in his lips. “We’ve made it this far, you think I’d blow it now?”

            Sean gives a reassuring smile back and Mark leaves, not quite shutting the door all the way. As Sean returns to his paper, Marie takes advantage of the crack in the door. Using her spotted paw, she sticks it between the frame and door, pushing until the door opens wide enough for her fluffy body to squeeze through. She lingers on the porch for a few moments, sniffing the air and watching Mark disappear into the trees. _Meow._ Picking up a familiar scent, she jogs out into the parking lot, seeking out the flying black creatures of the night that she used to hunt eagerly back in her old neighborhood. _M’ow!_ Being locked up for nights on end in unfamiliar territory takes its toll – this moment, back in the wilderness, is Marie’s chance to relax.

            Sean puts down the paper, bored by the lack of interesting news. _Canada will be very relaxing compared to America._ He feels a brief chill. “Marie, did you go outside?” He looks towards the door, finding it open halfway. “Stupid animal will get herself killed.” Standing up, he walks over to the door, ready to call out his pet’s name when a female appears in doorway from the left. Sean shrieks in surprise.

            The female chuckles. “Sorry for the spook, but I just had to see how you guys were doing now that you’ve crossed the boarder.” She walks into the room without invite, Sean still in shock. “How is Canada so far?”

            Sean swallows, taking a deep breath. “It is… fine. Did you see a cat outside?”

            “I believe the animal is hunting bats in the parking lot.”

            “Who are you? You look familiar, but I don’t remember meeting you.”

            The female smiles, offering a hand to Sean. “We only talked online. I am the girl who helped you in the first place. I met with Mark. By the way, where is he?” Before Sean can shake her hand, the female walks away and looks around the room for him.

            “On a walk.” Sean feels goose bumps on his spine. _I don’t like this feeling, what is this feeling?_ “Why are you here again?”

            The female smiles, sitting down on Sean’s bed and picking up the abandoned newspaper. “Just checking in, is all.”

            Sean slowly steps back towards the door. “I don’t feel very good.”

            The female smiles. “Eat something rotten?”

 _The feeling is in my head._ “Why don’t I go and find Mark for you?” Sean turns towards the door, picking up his pace. “I am sure he would love to ta–”

            The female suddenly appears in front of Sean, shutting the door firmly and locking it.

            “You know, right after Mark left my place the morning after we met, I received the most fascinating call.” She begins to step closer to Sean, who steps back in unison. “They wanted to know why their employee was seeking the help of a woman who helps people escape the country. I didn’t say much, but when they mentioned something interesting about the boy I originally contacted,” she chuckles, “I just couldn’t help myself. They offered me so much more than a whole year of smuggling people into Canada.”

            Sean feels an intense burning desire to run into the bathroom and lock the door, but he remembered there was no lock and the window in there was too small for even Marie to squeeze through. _Why do I want to go somewhere that will just make matters worse? My spine feels so weird right now._ He struggles to speak. “What… what do yo–”

            “I know you are an android. I have been paid a hefty amount of money to return you to your owners.”

            Sean’s eyes widen, the feeling down his spine triggering a surge backward, feet scrambling until his legs hit a bed. He falls back and the female pins him down, knees on either side of his waist and hands holding Sean’s face so he couldn’t look away.

            “So, I will make this quick. All they want is your brain, and since I don’t like the idea of you being in any pain – oh wait, you can’t feel pain, so what does it matter?” The female puts her left hand on Sean’s neck, pushing down, prompting Sean to desperately grab at the female’s wrist to try and break free. As he struggles, he doesn’t see the knife in the female’s right hand until he feels the point pressing into his chest. He wants to scream in fear, terror taking hold of his limbs as he begins to kick his legs. The female just grits his teeth as he slowly pushes the blade past the skin and bones and towards the heart. Pink blood seeps from the wound. Sean kicks harder and attempts to make any sound with his mouth but only wheezes escape.

 _If I don’t stop her, I will die. What will happen when Mark gets back? Will she kill him too?_ He can’t think properly and he is unable to find a way to escape from the man’s grip without plunging the knife farther in. _I can feel the blade getting closer to my heart… I have to try something! I don’t want to die, not until I have lived!_

            Something clicks.

            Adrenaline surges through Sean’s veins, infecting his muscles with raw power. With sudden inspiration, he releases the female’s wrist and goes for her neck, squeezing with all his might as the female lets go of Sean and the knife to try and break free from the hold. It doesn’t take long – a snap and crack is heard simultaneously before the female’s body drops to the ground. She gasps, trying to bring air through her broken neck, but Sean steps on her neck with one final kick.

            The door knob wiggles, opening after the lock is released from the outside. A bell rings through the silent room as Marie skitters into the room towards her water dish, pausing for a moment to sniff the dead female’s hand on her way to the bathroom. Mark stands frozen in the doorway, trying to dissect the horror scene in front of him with all logic possible.

            “What the fuck?!” He screams, slamming the door as he runs over to Sean. “You have a knife in your chest and my one-night stand is on the floor dead!” He doesn’t know whether he should double check to see if Miss Woman is dead, but the purple bruises forming around the neck are convincing enough. He gets Sean to sit on the bed as he scrambles to the bathroom for towels. No words are exchanged as he inspects the knife wound and determines the best course of treatment.

            Only after the knife is on the ground and Mark is packing the wound, Sean begins to speak. “She wanted to kill me, take me back to that place.”

            Mark took a few seconds to respond. “How did she find out about you?”

            “Your employers got into contact with her.”

            Mark shuts his eyes, taking in a deep breath before walking over to one of his bags. Sean continues to talk.

            “I didn’t want to die. Her hand was on my throat, holding me down. I couldn’t… breath… I couldn’t… scream… begging inside my head to get free…”

            “So how are you still alive?” Mark pulls out surgical equipment, thanking and cursing the small part of his brain that forced him to prepare for the worse on their journey. _Maybe if I didn’t think that I wouldn’t have jinxed us._

            “She activated my survival response.”

            Mark freezes. “Androids don’t have–”

            “Something clicked inside of my head and I was able to… to…” Tears are streaming down his face. “I didn’t want to die; I don’t want to die!” He sobs.

            Mark sits down on his bed and covers his face, the pink android blood on his fingers smearing onto his forehead. The weight of the situation crashes into his mind as he tries to piece everything together. _First Sean learned how to break free from his programing and become sentient, now he has triggered some sort of biological… primal need of fight or flight, which he clearly chose._ Fictional images of Sean strangling the female as they stand in the middle of the room appear in his mind. _Does this mean he will be prone to violence?_ _Did he do really do this out of a need for survival, or… anger?_ He peeks through his fingers at the sobbing, bleeding boy. _One could say he is a small child being born inside of a young adult body. Does this make me Frankenstein to his monster… wait, or is it the other way around?_ He shakes his head, standing up and grabbing his surgical supplies. _I don’t have time to dissect this right now._

            Mark walks over to Sean’s shaking body. “Listen to me Sean!” He stares down at him, waiting for him to make eye contact. “I need you to look at me, okay?” It takes him a few moments to compose himself and look up at him. “It is clear now that you are… a child, a small human baby inside of an adult body. You need guidance and support to make it through… whatever the hell this all is.” He sits down next to his body and removes the towels from his wounds. “First, I am going to patch you up to the best of my abilities. It has been a while since medical school. After I am done with you, I want you to get some rest while I figure out how to dispose of a body. Then…” He stops talking as his focus shifts to Sean’s wound.

            Marie jumps up onto the bed and curls up next to Sean’s face, purring and kneading into the bunched up sheets next to his head. He turns his face towards her body, rubbing his nose against her fur, taking in the scent of pine and diesel. _Did I do good today, Marie? Are we doing the right thing?_

 

* * *

  

            Sean sleeps with Marie next to his head, wound sutured close, as Mark smokes a joint in the bathroom, window cracked with the dead female’s body lying in the tub. The toxic love melts his nerves and he slides his body down the wall to the cool tiles. Resting his face against the edge of the tub, his hazy gaze rests on the purple swollen face of the rotting female.

            “We could count this as a second date,” he giggles to himself, “Don’t take this the wrong way okay? I am sure you have douchebag family members or lovers – don’t you have a ex or something? – they would probably want you to have a normal burial, but, ya know, this is business.” Mark reaches behind him. “I would funeral pyre you, but people might not like smelling your roasting flesh. I wouldn’t, Marie might but we don’t let her eat bad meat.” He drags the container around to in front of him. “So, you just sit back, relax, and daddy will make you a nice bath.” He takes one more toke, just to make sure everything in his mind is numb before drowning the body in the chemical concoction he mixed up hours before.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is all that was written for university. Comment with your opinions and ideas for where the story may be leading, and maybe I will be able to continue it. Throwing in Mark and Jack adds motivation (oddly enough, they both fit perfectly and I barley knew of Mark at the time I wrote it with my original characters). I want to make something of this story, and if putting in real-life Youtubers encourages me to expand it, then so be it.
> 
> [And if Septiplier happens to satisfy fans and the story as it grows, so be it.]


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